Device for Offering at Least One of a Plurality of Cigarettes Contained in a Package

ABSTRACT

A device for offering at least one of a plurality of cigarettes contained in a package includes an inner liner that is designed to cover at least a part of the plurality of cigarettes. The inner liner comprises a pull for moving at least one cigarette of the plurality of cigarettes into an offering position. The pull is designed to be actuated by a removal of the inner liner. The invention further relates to a package including a plurality of cigarettes.

RELATED APPLICATION

This is the U.S. national phase of PCT/EP2013/077420, filed Dec. 19, 2013, which claims priority to EP 12 198 278.9, filed Dec. 19, 2012.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a device for offering one of a plurality of cigarettes contained in a package, comprising an inner liner designed to cover at least a part of the plurality of cigarettes. The inner liner comprises a pull to move at least one cigarette of the plurality of cigarettes into an offering position. The invention further relates to a package containing a plurality of cigarettes.

BACKGROUND

Devices for offering one of a plurality of cigarettes are generally known in the prior art, for example from WO 2012/127446 A1, U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,804 and WO 2010/031467. EP 2 366 638 A1 describes a package of cigarettes with a pull-up tape. The pull-up tape is arranged inside an inner package and folded in a U-shape about a bottom end of a cigarette. Furthermore, the pull-up tape is completely detached from and, therefore, movable freely with respect to the inner package.

SUMMARY

It is an object of the present invention to provide an enhanced device for offering at least one of a plurality of cigarettes contained in a package in a convenient one-move solution.

This object is achieved by a device according to the independent claims.

It has been discovered by the invention that cigarettes are packed in a package with a predetermined tightness, i.e. a tightness impeding the cigarettes from falling out of the package after the package has been opened and an upper part of the inner liner of the package has been removed. Therefore, the consumer has to pull out at least a first cigarette by hand. For inexperienced cigarette consumers, this task may be complicated and unwanted, especially when the consumer's lack of skill could be revealed to other consumers, in particular people of a peer group of the consumer. Furthermore, it may happen that the consumer squeezes and bends one or more cigarettes when trying to pull out the first cigarette from the package.

The solutions known from the art for circumventing such a task are making use of different offering techniques for offering at least one of the plurality of cigarettes in the package. The term offering can be understood as moving the first cigarette into an offering position, i.e. a position in which the cigarette is partly moved out of the package. When the cigarette is moved out partly, it can be easily pulled out completely by grabbing the portion of the cigarette which sticks out of the cigarette package; e.g. the filter end of the cigarette.

However, the invention has additionally discovered that the offering techniques known from the art have in particular the following disadvantage in common: additional action is needed by the consumer to move the cigarette into the offering position, i.e. for example that the consumer has to pull the pull-up tape as described in EP 2 366 638 A1.

This additional action by the consumer is eliminated by the solution according to the present invention in which the pull is actuated by a removal of the inner liner. Since a part of the inner liner has to be removed by the consumer anyway to access the cigarettes contained in the package, the invention makes use of this removal action performed by the consumer. With the removal of the inner liner by the consumer, the pull is actuated and, thereby, the first cigarette is moved into the offering position.

Preferably, the pull is designed to move only one cigarette of the plurality of cigarettes into the offering position. When only one cigarette is moved into the offering position the other cigarettes do not have to be pushed back into the package by the consumer. Again, needless action by the consumer is avoided.

The inner liner can be formed by a protective foil, comprising aluminium, paper and other materials or combinations thereof, which is arranged within a package, preferably a so called “hard pack” or “semi-rigid pack.” The general purpose of the inner liner is to maintain the flavor and/or aroma of the cigarettes, protect the packed cigarettes from contamination, maintain a certain hygienic level as well as maintain a certain level of moisture over time. Therefore, the inner liner may cover at least a part of the plurality of cigarettes or preferably the plurality of cigarettes completely. The removal of the inner liner may take place by tearing off a portion of the inner liner. This means the inner liner comprises one blank having a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is torn off whereas the second portion of the inner liner stays within the package. The second portion may cover a further part of the plurality of cigarettes.

According to a first preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention, the pull comprises an interactor designed to move the at least one cigarette into the offering position, i.e., when the inner liner is removed and the pull actuated by the removal of the inner liner, the interactor interacts with the cigarette to move the cigarette into the offering position. The interactor may comprise, or may be formed by, a certain geometrical shape of the interactor such as a hook shape, wherein the hook engages the cigarette to be moved into the offering position.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention, the pull comprises a pull strip designed to pull the at least one cigarette into the offering position. The manufacturing cost and complexity of a cigarette package is crucial for producers of cigarettes. Therefore, any additional feature, such as the pull, will only be accepted by cigarette producers, if such additional feature is cost efficient and can be produced and integrated into the package with low complexity. The present invention fulfills these criteria and thus provides for a simple, low-cost and appropriate embodiment of the pull according to the present invention.

According to another even further preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention, the pull comprises a pull strip which comprises a material selected from e.g. cardboard, plastic, metal, aluminium and/or paper. This embodiment provides a further simplified and even more cost efficient pull. Especially, when the pull strip comprises only cardboard material, the pull can be produced and integrated into the package in a low-cost way. Preferably, a part of the pull strip can have an adhesive structured surface, for example Yupo Tako® (Yupo® EUROPE GmbH).

In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention, the pull is attached to the inner liner, preferably to a removal portion of the inner liner. This simplifies the device according to the present invention even further, since the inner liner itself can be manufactured as usual. In the manufacturing of the package, the pull is attached to the inner liner as a separate part. The term “removal portion” can be understood as a first portion of the inner liner which is torn off wherein a second portion of the inner liner stays within the package after removal of the first portion.

According to a preferred enhancement of the preceding embodiment, the pull is attached to the inner liner with an adhesive. This provides for a simple and convenient way of attachment.

In an alternative embodiment of the preceding embodiment of the device according to the present invention, the pull is integral with the inner liner. This can be achieved by a pulls comprising the same material as the inner liner and forming one part with the inner liner, in particular being a portion of the inner liner. Therefore, it is necessary that the inner liner is manufactured differently from the usual inner liners. However, the integral design of the pull with the inner liner provides for a professional appearance of the device according to the present invention.

In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention, the pull comprises a first portion extending from the inner liner substantially parallel to the longitudinal extension of the cigarette and a second portion extending at least partially across a rod end side of the cigarette. Preferably, the first portion extends adjacent an inner face of the inner liner, more preferably between the inner liner and the at least one cigarette. The rod end side of the cigarette is preferably the side of the cigarette facing away from the portion of the inner liner to be torn off by the consumer. The second portion preferably forms the interactor, i.e. when the pull is actuated, the second portion lifts the cigarette from a packed position.

According to a preferred enhancement of the preceding embodiment, the pull is substantially L-shaped, in a packed position of the cigarette. This enhancement provides for a simple and easy to manufacture embodiment of the pull. Preferably, the first portion of the pull is formed by a long section of the L-shape and the second portion of the pull is formed by a short section of the L-shape. Further preferably, the junction between the first and second portion of the pull is formed elastically, i.e. the second portion can be pivoted relative to the first portion. By this pivoting, the pull may also take a straight shape such that the first portion and second portion are orientated in longitudinal extension with each other.

In another embodiment of the device according to the present invention, the inner liner comprises a first portion comprising the pull and a second portion enclosing a further part of the plurality of cigarettes, wherein the first portion is separable from the second portion via a perforation. This provides for an embodiment which is especially suitable for the usual package and inner liner configuration. Namely, the inner liner usually comprises a first portion (tear-off portion), which is torn off after opening a lid of the package, and a second portion enclosing the remainder of the cigarettes. In such a configuration, the pull is preferably integral with or attached to the first portion. The first portion and second portion are originally produced as one blank with a perforation for separating the first from the second portion in a way that the first portion can be torn off by the consumer to access the cigarettes.

In a preferred enhancement of the preceding embodiment, the pull, which is integral with the first portion of the inner liner, is attached to the second portion via a perforation. Thereby, an enhancement of the preferred embodiment, in which the pull is integral with the inner liner, is provided. I.e. not only the first portion of the inner liner is attached to the second portion by a perforation but also the pull is attached to the second portion of the inner liner by a perforation.

Preferably, the pull is arranged adjacent the first and second portion of the inner liner such that the pull itself forms part of the inner liner covering a part of the cigarettes. Further preferably, the pull is detachable from the second portion of the inner liner.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention, a cross-sectional dimension of the pull is less than or substantially equal to a cross-sectional dimension of the cigarette. This provides for an embodiment in which only one cigarette is moved into the offering position having the advantage that the other cigarettes do not have to be pushed back into the package by the consumer. The term cross-sectional dimension of the cigarette can be understood as the diameter of the cigarette measured perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of the cigarette. The term cross-sectional dimension of the pull is preferably understood as the diameter of the pull measured perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of the pull.

In another preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention, the pull interacts with the cigarette by a frictional contact area provided at a surface of the pull facing the cigarette, wherein the frictional contact area is formed by a surface material selected from the group of velvet, Yupo Tako, soft touch varnish or lacquer and/or floc-coating. In other words, the interactor preferably comprises a frictional contact area or is formed by a frictional contact area. The frictional contact area can be formed at the first or second portion of the pull.

If the contact area is formed at the first portion of the pull, the coefficient of friction of the contact area is designed in a way to move the cigarette, i.e. when tearing off the inner liner, the contact area slides along the cigarette. The frictional force provided by the contact area moves the cigarette into the offering position (in addition to a lifting force provided by the first portion of the pull).

If the contact area is formed at the second portion of the pull, the cigarette is moved by two forces, namely the lifting force provided by the second portion of the pull and a frictional force of the contact area provided at the first portion when it comes into frictional contact with the cigarette.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention, the pull comprises a further surface, in particular a further surface facing away from the cigarette, providing a coefficient of friction substantially lower than a coefficient of friction of the frictional contact area. This embodiment is of great advantage, especially in the use of a pull strip forming the pull. When the inner liner is removed, the pull slides through the package, preferably between the cigarette and a further portion of the inner liner as well as between the cigarette and the package. To sufficiently move the cigarette, the contact area needs to have a certain amount of friction provided by a predetermined coefficient of friction. However, at the same time, the pull strip needs to slide easily through the package. This is achieved if the surface of the pull facing away from the cigarette has a comparatively low coefficient of friction, at least a coefficient of friction which is substantially lower than the coefficient of friction of the frictional contact area.

In another preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention, information is printed and/or embossed on the inner liner and/or on the pull strip. Thereby, the pull strip may be utilized as an information carrier, for example for providing information to the consumer such as advertisements.

In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention, the pull comprises at least one side wall for stabilization. This provides for an enhanced pull which is stabilized, in particular with respect to the interaction with the cigarette. For example, different loads acting on the pull, such as loads when the package is shaken, might change the orientation of the pull with respect to the cigarette. However, the side wall provides for an inhibition of such movement of the pull. When the inner liner is removed, the pull interacts with the cigarette in the desired way. Preferably, the side wall extends from a pull into a space between the cigarette to be moved and a respective adjacent cigarette. Further preferably, the side wall is attached only to the first portion of the pull. Even further preferably the side wall is attached both to the first and second portion of the pull.

Moreover, the side wall is preferably formed in the region of the junction between the first and second portion of the pull. This can be achieved by a side wall which is substantially shaped in a triangular way, preferably a right-angled triangle. In such an embodiment of the side wall, one leg (catheti) of the triangular side wall forms the junction between the side wall and the first portion of the pull and a further leg (cathetusi) forms the junction between the side wall and the second portion of the pull.

Furthermore, the pull may be formed only by the first portion, without the second portion.

The object mentioned above is also achieved by a package including a plurality of cigarettes, comprising a device of the above described kind, the package preferably being a hard pack or semi-rigid pack. With respect to the advantages, embodiments and details of embodiments of this further aspect of the invention, it is referred to the preceding description of the respective features of the device and its embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the invention are described in connection with the figures, wherein

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the device according to the present invention in a first state;

FIG. 2 illustrates the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in a second state;

FIG. 3 illustrates a further embodiment of the device according to the present invention in a first state;

FIG. 4 illustrates the further embodiment shown in FIG. 3 in the first state from a different perspective;

FIG. 5 illustrates the further embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 in a second state;

FIG. 6 illustrates a plan view of a part of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 7 illustrates a plan view of a further embodiment of the part shown in FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 illustrates another embodiment of the device according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 show an embodiment of the device according to the present invention. In FIG. 1 the device is shown in a first state in which an inner liner 1 encloses a plurality of cigarettes 5 (not shown in FIG. 1) in a packed position 7 (the packed position 7 is indicated in FIG. 2 by the lines representing a position of a rod end side of a cigarette in the packed position). In FIG. 2 the device is shown in a second state in which a first portion 10 of the inner liner 1 is removed. A second portion 11 of the inner liner 1 encloses the remainder of the plurality of cigarettes 5. In an initial state, the first portion 10 and second portion 11 are enclosed by an outer package not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. After a lid of the outer package is opened, the first portion 10 of the inner liner 1 is accessible by a consumer, e.g. to remove the first portion 10 by tearing it off. Before the removal, the first portion 10 and second portion 11 form one inner liner which can be divided by a perforation 12. The perforation 12 forms a predetermined breaking point for detachment of the first portion 10 from the second portion 11 (when the first portion 10 is removed).

The inner liner 1 comprises a pull means 15 which is formed by a pull strip 17 consisting, e.g. of a cardboard material 18. The pull strip 17 is attached to the inner liner 1 by an adhesive 19 and is formed by a first portion 21 and a second portion 23. The first portion 21 of the pull strip 17 extends from the inner liner 1 parallel to the longitudinal extension 24 of a cigarette 25. In the packed position 7 of the cigarette 25, the second portion 23 of the pull strip 17 extends across a rod end side 27 of the cigarette 25. The first portion 21 and second portion 23 of the pull strip 17 are arranged directly adjacent to each other such that, in the packed position 7 of the plurality of cigarettes 5, the pull strip 17 is L-shaped. In other words: in the packed position 7 of the plurality of cigarettes 5, the second portion 23 extends from the first portion in an angle of about 90°.

When the first portion 10 of the inner liner 1 is removed by a consumer—e.g. by grabbing a lip 28 of the first portion 10 of the inner liner 1 and pulling the first portion 10 into a removal direction 29—the pull strip 17 is actuated by the motion of the first portion 10 of the inner liner 1, i.e. the pull strip 17 is pulled by the first portion 10 along the longitudinal extension 24 and in the removal direction 29 (extension 24 and direction 29 are parallel). In a first phase of the removal, the cigarette 25 is lifted by the second portion 23 of the pull strip 17 and additionally pulled by a frictional force between the pull strip 17 and the cigarette 25. In a second phase of the removal, the cigarette 25 is moved further only by a frictional force between the pull strip 17 and the cigarette 25. After the complete removal of the first portion 10 of the inner liner 1 and the pull strip 17, the cigarette 25 stays in an offering position 31 (the offering position 31 is indicated in FIG. 2 by the line representing the position of the rod end side of the cigarette in the offering position). In FIG. 2 cigarette 25 is shown in an interim position between the packed position 7 and the offering position 31. When the cigarette is in the offering position 31, the pull strip 17 is completely removed out of the package.

The diameter 33 of the pull strip 17, measured perpendicular to the longitudinal extension 24, is equal to or less than the diameter 35 of the cigarette 25 measured in cross section of the cigarette 25. Furthermore, information 40 can be printed on the pull strip 17, such as advertisements to provide the consumer with additional information in this respect.

FIGS. 3-5 show a further embodiment of a device according to the present invention. In FIGS. 3 and 4, the device is shown in a first state in which an inner liner 101 encloses a plurality of cigarettes (not shown in FIGS. 3 and 4) in a packed position. FIG. 4 shows the device seen from a different perspective than in FIG. 3. In FIG. 5 the device is shown in a second state in which a first portion 110 of the inner liner 101 is removed. A second portion 111 of the inner liner 101 encloses the remainder of the plurality of cigarettes.

In an initial state, the first portion 110 and the second portion 111 are enclosed by a package not shown in FIGS. 3-5. After a lid of the package is opened, the first portion 110 of the inner liner 101 is accessible by a consumer, e.g. to remove the first portion 110 by tearing it off. Before the removal, the first portion 110 and second portion 111 are attached to each other by a perforation 112. The perforation 112 forms a predetermined breaking point for detachment of the first portion 110 from the second portion 111 (when the first portion 110 is removed).

An integral part of the inner liner 101 has a pull 115 being formed by a pull strip 117. The pull strip 117 is formed by the same material as the inner liner 101, e.g. a paper-like material comprising an aluminum layer and a paper layer. Furthermore, the pull strip 117 is formed by a first portion 121 and a second portion 123. The first portion 121 of the pull strip 117 extends from the first portion 110 of the inner liner 101 parallel to the longitudinal extension of a cigarette and adjacent to the second portion 111 of the inner liner 101. Thereby, the pull strip 117 itself covers a part of the cigarettes.

In the packed position of the cigarette, the second portion 123 of the pull strip 117 extends across a rod end side of the cigarette, i.e. along a bottom side 125 of the inner liner 101 and adjacent to the second portion 111 of the inner liner 101. The first portion 121 and second portion 123 of the pull strip 117 are arranged directly adjacent to each other such that, in the packed position of the plurality of cigarettes, the pull strip 117 has L-shape. In other words: in the packed position of the plurality of cigarettes, the second portion 123 extends from the first portion 121 in an angle of about 90°.

When the first portion 110 of the inner liner 101 is removed by a consumer e.g. by grabbing a lip 128 of the first portion 110 of the inner liner 101 and pulling the first portion 110 into a removal direction 129—the pull strip 117 is actuated, by the motion of the first portion 110 of the inner liner 101. i.e. the pull strip 117 is pulled by the first portion 110 along the longitudinal extension of the cigarette in the removal direction 129 (extension of the cigarette and direction 129 are parallel). In a first phase of the removal, the cigarette is lifted by the second portion 123 of the pull strip 117. After this first phase, the pull strip 117 detaches from the second portion 111 of the inner liner 101 at a perforation 145, i.e. the perforation 145 forms a predetermined breaking point between the pull strip 117 and the second portion 111 of the inner liner 101. In a second phase of the removal, the cigarette is moved further only by a frictional force between the pull strip 117 and the cigarette. After the complete removal of the first portion 110 of the inner liner 101, the cigarette stays in an offering portion (not shown in FIGS. 3-5).

FIG. 6 illustrates a plan view of a first portion 10 of the inner liner 1 and the pull strip 17 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 7 illustrates a further embodiment of the first portion 10 of the inner liner 1 and the pull strip 17 as shown in FIG. 6. The same and similar features are indicated by the same numerals. The pull strip 17 has a first portion 21 and a second portion 23. In a section 46 of first portion 21, the pull strip 17 is attached to the first portion 10 of the inner liner 1 by an adhesive. Additionally or alternatively, the pull strip 17 can also be attached to the inner liner 1 in other sections of the pull strip 17 (not shown in FIG. 7).

The diameter 33 of the pull strip 17 (cross-sectional dimension) corresponds substantially to the diameter of a cigarette, e.g. king-size, slim, super slim, queen size and/or magnum size. The longitudinal length 49 of the pull strip 17 is about 107 mm. The length 51 of the first portion 10 of the inner liner 1 along the pull strip 17 is about 16 mm. The length 53 of the second portion 23 of the pull strip 17 is about 10 mm.

The second portion 23 of the pull strip 17 forms an interactor 55 for moving the cigarette 25 into the offering position 31 in particular by lifting the cigarette 25 in the first phase of the removal of the first portion 10 of the inner liner 1.

The pull strip 17 shown in FIG. 6, has a surface 57 which faces the cigarette 25 and provides for a further interactor 61 for moving the cigarette 25 into the offering position 31, in particular in the second phase of the removal. In this second phase, the surface 57 forms a frictional contact area 62 having a coefficient of friction which is substantially higher than a coefficient of friction of a further surface 63 facing away from the cigarette 25, i.e. facing away from the viewer of FIG. 6. In other words: the further surface 63 has a coefficient of friction which is substantially lower than the coefficient of friction of the frictional contact area 62. The surface 63 is preferably formed smooth and/or slippery, e.g. formed by Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE; also called Teflon). The frictional contact area 62 is preferably formed by a soft touch surface, e.g. provided by a soft touch varnish or lacquer and/or floc-coating surface.

Also the pull strip 17 shown in FIG. 7 has a surface 57 which faces the cigarette 25 and provides for a further interactor 71 for moving the cigarette 25 into the offering position. Therefore, in a region 72 of surface 57 a frictional material 73 is provided, e.g. Yupo Tako.

FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of the device according to the present invention which is similar to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The same and similar features as in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are indicated by the same numerals in FIG. 8.

The pull strip 17 shown in FIG. 8 has a first side wall 81 and a second side wall 83. Both side walls 81 and 83 extend parallel to the longitudinal extension of the first portion 21 of the pull strip 17. When viewed in cross-section, the side walls 81 and 83 extend in an angle of about 90° from the pull strip 17. In other words: side walls 81 and 83 project from the pull strip 17 into a space between the one cigarette to be moved and a respective adjacent cigarette. The first side wall 81 and second side wall 83 provide a stabilization of the pull strip 17, so that the pull strip 17 only interacts with one cigarette of the plurality of cigarettes.

Although an embodiment of this invention has been disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this disclosure. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this disclosure. 

1. A device for offering at least one of a plurality of cigarettes contained in a package, comprising: an inner liner designed to cover at least a part of the plurality of cigarettes, the inner liner comprises a pull to move at least one cigarette of the plurality of cigarettes into an offering position, and wherein the pull is designed to be actuated by a removal of the inner liner.
 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the pull comprises an interactor designed to move the at least one cigarette into the offering position.
 3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the pull comprises a pull strip designed to pull the at least one cigarette into the offering position.
 4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the pull comprises a pull strip which comprises a material selected from cardboard, plastic, metal, aluminium and/or paper.
 5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the pull is attached to the inner liner.
 6. The device according to claims wherein the pull is attached to a removal portion of the inner liner.
 7. The device according to claim 5, wherein the pull is attached to the inner liner with an adhesive.
 8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the pull is integral with the inner liner.
 9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the pull comprises a first portion extending from the inner liner substantially parallel to a longitudinal extension of the cigarette, and a second portion extending at least partially across a rod end side of the Cigarette.
 10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the pull comprises a pull strip, and wherein, in a packed position of the cigarette, the pull strip is substantially L-shaped.
 11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the inner liner comprises a first portion comprising the pull, and a second portion enclosing a further part of the plurality of cigarettes, wherein the first portion is separable from the second portion by a perforation.
 12. The device according to claim 8, wherein the pull, which is integral with the first portion of the inner liner, is attached to the second portion by a perforation.
 13. The device according to claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional dimension of the pull is less than or substantially equal to a cross-sectional dimension of the cigarette.
 14. The device according to claim 1, wherein the pull interacts with the cigarette by a frictional contact area provided at a surface of the pull facing the cigarette, wherein the frictional contact area is formed by a surface material selected from the group of velvet, Yupo Tako, soft touch varnish or lacquer and/or floc-coating.
 15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the pull comprises a further surface facing away from the cigarette that provides a coefficient of friction substantially lower than a coefficient of friction of the frictional contact area.
 16. The device according to claim 1, wherein the pull comprises at least one side wall for stabilization. 